Theories of Romantics
by djmay71
Summary: After Howard & Bernadette's wedding Penny did something crazy, and now she must live with the consquences. Post 5x24 "The Countdown Reflection". Psychological-Romance- read, you'll understand. BBT characters are defintely out of character. Small bit of O/C going on.
1. I

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Penny."

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Penny."

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Penny."

Even though she heard the man at the door knock a total of nine times, and say her name three times, she still laid in bed. She wanted to believe that she had no responsibility beyond her bed, and the universe around it.

She was afraid of what she did.

48 hours ago, her friends, Bernadette and Howard had been married on the roof of her apartment building. At the time her relationship with her neighbor- Leonard had taken a strange turn. He had proposed to her during sex. It had scared Penny.

And although she didn't need a reason to get really drunk, after the wedding- at the reception, Penny got really drunk. She had ended up alone at a bar she couldn't remember and had started talking to a semi-professional off-road racer. She had taken him home with her and had her way with him for several hours. Many, long hours.

And now he laid next to Penny, probably passed out from exhaustion. She couldn't remember his name. All she could remember was that she found him very attractive and very, _experienced _in bed.

Penny was confused. She had considered herself to have been dating Leonard, although nothing was official. As Leonard had put it, they had been in the 'beta testing phase'.

So did Penny cheat on Leonard? Penny didn't think so, but at the same time she knew what she had done was wrong. She looked over to the man beside her. He really was good looking- and unlike a certain neighbor of hers, had abs you could actually see.

He opened his eyes.

"Want to go again?" he asked her.

'To be honest, the last 48 hours seemed to be a blur', Penny thought to herself.

With a wicked smile, suitable for the Wicked Witch of Oz, she replied, "Heck yes."

* * *

After Sheldon finished knocking on Penny's door, he waited. He waited for several long minutes. Sure, Penny usually answered the door, typically in a fashion that mocked Sheldon's organized and methodic fashion of knocking on doors; but after waiting this long, Sheldon was beginning to think something else was afoot.

He thought to himself. 'What would Spock do?'

Well of course, Sheldon knew very well that the question was rhetorical, as Spock wouldn't care about this situation.

But Sheldon did.

He had accepted her mail- again, for the second day in a row. He had made several attempts of contacting Penny- posted on her Facebook wall, sent her a tweet on twitter, texted her, emailed her, left a voicemail on her cellphone. Sheldon had voiced his frustrations to his room-mate, Leonard, who had pointed out that it might be better just to knock on Penny's door.

'Why hadn't I thought of that?' Sheldon kept on asking himself.

Frustrations abound, Sheldon returned to his apartment. As he closed the door, Leonard, who was sitting at his desk (working on yet another futile laser experiment), looked over to Sheldon and the mail still in his hand.

"I don't know what to do." Sheldon admitted.

"Fine." Leonard said, as grabbed Penny's spare key from beside his computer.

Leonard had kept the key within short reach because as the hours passed in the last two days, he had grown increasingly worried about Penny. He knew that she had a tendency to overdrink and pass out, but she usually takes care of herself in that regard.

And that was why Leonard, even after forty eight hours, still hadn't done anything. He knew very well that Penny was an independent woman who could take care of herself. He also knew that his previous time with her hadn't gone well and had likened the entire situation to an unstable nanotube hydrogen powered laser. He definitely didn't want to disturb it.

But as much as he wanted to leave it alone, he couldn't bear Sheldon's ongoing rants about Penny's abysmal regard for the United States Postal Service, and the mail they deliver.

So Leonard had taken the mail from Sheldon and quietly entered Penny's apartment.

When entering, he surveyed the scene. He could never make head or tail of Penny's apartment, due to her lack of organizational skills. Sheldon had, on several occasions, tried to teach such skills to Penny.

Leonard placed the mail in a selected spot on the coffee table, as he started to leave. Just when he was about to turn the door knob, he heard a series of loud grunts and sighs coming from Penny's bedroom.

Knowing very well that Penny would never forgive him for it, Leonard snuck to the door frame and peered in.

On Penny's brightly colored sheets and blankets he saw a very fit (and even Leonard had to admit, attractive) man having sex with the woman that just five seconds beforehand, Leonard considered his girlfriend.

* * *

"Leonard, I'm sad." Came the Indian voice of Rajesh Koothrapali, PhD.

And Rajesh, who preferred to be called Raj had good reason to be sad. His close friend of several years, just 24 hours after getting married was in space- aboard the International Space Station.

Leonard was flipping the channels on the TV in his apartment, where Raj sat right beside him.

"Leonard?" Raj asked, "Are you ok?"

"Don't want to talk about it." Leonard replied.

Raj had noticed that his friend had been very moody, and in his own words, 'crabby' since he arrived, despite bringing his signed, extended edition Blu-Ray of Batman Begins, complete with directors commentary.

"Sheldon, when are you going to be ready to watch Batman?" Raj whined.

"In a few moments, after I'm done installing Linux on my new laptop. I don't like Internet Explorer."

"Great." Raj said, as he scanned the channels that Leonard was flipping through "Oh wait, go back, the L Word is on."

Leonard gave Raj a quizzical look, as he tossed the remote in Raj's direction, "Watch whatever you want."

"And I'm done installing Linux!" Sheldon exclaimed, as he turned to look at Raj and Leonard.

Leonard however, got up off the couch and left the apartment.

"Guess we're going to have to wait for Leonard." Sheldon guessed aloud, "Time to install Firefox!"

* * *

Penny, and her mysterious hook-up had finished having sex almost an hour ago, but they had remained in bed- cuddling, kissing and exchanging the phrase 'I love you' several times, as they gasped for breath between kisses.

Although Penny felt uncomfortable saying 'I love you' to a man that she couldn't even remember his name, she felt more at ease about it, than she had been in a long time.

They came to a natural pause. Penny caressed his abs, as he stroked her smooth skin.

"I have to tell you something." Penny said, "My neighbor- Leonard, I was kinda dating him."

"And?"

"Well-" Penny started, trying hard to remember his name.

"Tristan." He reminded her.

"Well, Tristan- god, that's a cool name- Leonard is kind of a sensitive guy, and I'd like to stay friends with him."

"Ok. And?"

"And- what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to be your girlfriend, but maintain a friendship with my ex-boyfriend."

"As long as I get to park my-" Tristan started.

But a knock at the door interrupted him.

Penny had noticed that it wasn't Sheldon's knock.

"I should get that."

Penny got up and donned her night robe and made her way to the door.

"Leonard, hi." Penny said, taken back.

"Hi-" Leonard spoke back, "Can we talk?"

"Sure." Penny said.

Out of the corner of her eye, however, Penny saw Tristan come out of her bedroom, fully clothed, with his leather jacket on. As he walked up and passed Penny and went through the door, he playfully smacked Penny's butt, kissed her on the cheek and said "See you later babe."


	2. II

Leonard saw it all. The man coming out of Penny's room, (Although he had halfway expected it, seeing as he had witnessed them having sex) the playful butt slap that Leonard did not approve of, and to top it all off- the exchanged kiss.

After the man started down the stairs of the apartment building, Leonard spoke up.

"And that would be?" he asked.

"That's Tristan." Penny replied nervously, "I uh…I met him at a bar."

"So at what point did your inhibitions drop so low in the past forty eight hours that you decided to have sex with a stranger?" Leonard asked angrily.

Penny's pent up anger and frustration came to its tipping point, "You know what? I don't have to take this- he respects me, values me for who I am, and treats me like an adult."

"Right," Leonard spat back, "Because a man who respects women, slaps them on the ass."

"I happen to be very turned on by that!" Penny yelled as she shut the door on Leonard's face.

Leonard sighed and noted this event as the confirmation that he and Penny were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend. Now they were neighbors. 'Neighbors who hate each other' Leonard thought.

He looked back to his apartment door, to see it open, with Sheldon and Raj standing on the doorstep.

"Time for Batman?" Raj asked excitedly, skipping over the events that had just transpired.

* * *

Penny's friend- Amy, (though she introduces herself as Amy Farah Fowler) had stopped in unexpectedly. Amy was going through Penny's cellphone to see if she had managed to take any pictures of this sexually attractive man- Tristan, as it were; while Penny was preparing a breakfast of waffles.

"Is this him?" Amy asked excitedly.

Penny looked at the picture. "No, that's a bus boy from work. "

"Well then…" Amy replied, as she continued going through the phone.

"What am I going to do?" Penny asked, "I really like Tristan, but I don't want things to be weird between me and Leonard."

"This him?" Amy asked.

"Amy!?" Penny exclaimed, as she would much rather talk about her problems, then to show Amy a picture of her new boyfriend, who would no doubt be the star of Amy's future sex dreams.

"I'm sorry," Amy apologized, "If it helps, when two monkeys copulate, they typically branch off and start their own tribe."

"Yeah, that doesn't help."

"Have you considered an act of kindness that may cement a friendship between you and Leonard?"

"Like what?" Penny asked.

"In the typical paradigm, an exchange of 'I'm sorry' and 'let's still be friends' is satisfactory, although in your case, I believe its past that point."

"Am I the bad person- for breaking up with him?" Penny asked, trying to rationalize her actions, "Because we all knew it was eventually going to happen, right?

"I don't think there's a bad bone in your body." Amy replied, as she passively displayed her homo-erotic feelings for her close friend.

"I feel like I should apologize though- you know, mend those fences?"

"I think the coinage is 'mend those bridges' but that works too." Amy corrected.

Feeling the need to apologize to Leonard and at least try to maintain her friendship, she left her apartment.

* * *

Leonard, Raj and Sheldon sat on the couch in the apartment and were watching Batman Begins on Blu-Ray.

Then a knock came at the door.

"And pausing." Sheldon stated, as he brought up the remote and pressed the pause button, "Five minutes people, make it count."

"Thank god, I have to pee." Raj said as he sprinted off for the bathroom.

Leonard got up and shook his head, trying to get out of his mind all the times that his friend Raj had referred to his small bladder, as he opened the door.

It was Penny.

"Leonard," Penny started, "Before you say anything, you should know that I really want to still be friends with you."

"There's no reason why we can't be friends," Leonard spoke up, "I just feel…confused."

"Thai food here at 7 on me?" Penny suggested, "I'll bring Tristan- you guys might like him."

"Ok." Leonard.

"Now hold on," Sheldon asked, "Tristan- he sounds Irish. Is he Irish?"

"I don't know." Penny replied.

"I guess we'll find out at 7pm."


	3. III

All Sheldon could do was stare. He felt uneasy about Tristan- the subject of Penny's newest sexual exploit.

But that wasn't all he was uneasy about- Penny had forgotten the special soy sauce from the Korean grocer that he preferred.

'What am I talking about?' Sheldon thought, knowing fully well that he could only tolerate the soy sauce from the Korean grocer.

The room was quiet. The way Sheldon preferred things- although the munching, chewing and scraping of utensils, which he could now hear ever so loudly was driving him nuts. He had to say something.

"So Tristan-" Bernadette interjected, negating the silence so Sheldon wouldn't have to listen to those annoying noises, "What do you do for a living?"

"I work at my dad's lube shop, but I want to become a professional racer on the World Off Road Championship Series." Tristan answered.

"Oh, what shop does your dad own?"

"Ziebarts." Tristan answered.

Sheldon was listening to the conversation, but it didn't interest him much. He had no affinity for motorized vehicles, or organized racing associations.

"Cool- how much does your dad charge for an oil change?" Bernadette asked.

"Depends on the vehicle, really." Tristan answered, "Usually doesn't run any more than $60."

Then the silence came back. More munching, chewing and scraping- Sheldon looked around to find the culprit, but instead he found that no one person was to blame.

"What do the rest of you do for a living?" Tristan asked, "I know Penny works at the Cheesecake Factory, but she wants to be an actress."

"I'm a microbiologist." Bernadette offered.

"I'm a particle physicist," Sheldon started, "which I'm sure raises more questions than it does answer, you see-"

"So you study atoms, protons, neutrons, and all that kind of stuff?" Tristan asked.

Sheldon thought about it for a moment. He had never heard his field of study so dumbed down, but he supposed that it was fitting. He'd have to write that down later, and describe it to Howard.

"Correct." Sheldon answered, "Leonard, is a theoretical physicist- makes us particle physicists look good."

Sheldon managed a laugh, or what some people would call a lack of a laugh.

"Rajesh is an astrophysicist; he studies physics in relation to stars, space and planets, not as interesting as particle physics, and Amy is a neurobiologist- she studies brains."

"Quite the group of scientists you got here." Tristan added.

* * *

Bernadette ate her food quietly. She missed her new husband. That was most likely why she was invited, she reasoned, as everyone else in the group- minus Tristan of course, would think that she's lonely.

And she was lonely, although she would never admit it to anyone but herself.

The silence of the room was nerve-wracking. She thought to herself, 'If Howie was here, he'd have the group talking and laughing. As his better half, maybe I should take the initiative.

"So Tristan," she spoke up, "What do you do for a living?"

"I work at my dad's lube shop, but I want to become a professional racer on the World Off Road Championship Series."

She had to keep the conversation going.

"Oh, what shop does your dad own?"

"Ziebarts." Came his reply.

Bernadette immediately thought that Tristan would be a breath of fresh air to the group of friends- they desperately needed someone normal to balance out the oddities and quirks of Sheldon.

'My car does need an oil change…' Bernadette thought to herself.

"Cool- how much does your dad charge for an oil change?"

"Depends on the vehicle, really- usually doesn't run any more than $60."

She was at the end of her contribution to the conversation. She was hoping that someone else would start talking.

But then Tristan spoke up and asked "What do the rest of you do for a living? I know Penny works at the Cheesecake Factory, but she wants to be an actress."

"I'm a microbiologist." Bernadette answered.

Sheldon proceeded to discuss everyone else's careers. Bearing a smile, Bernadette was pleased that she had ended to uncomfortable silence.

* * *

"So Tristan- what do you do for a living?"

Raj didn't really care, but he listened anyway. He dropped the chop sticks down onto his plate as he took a swig from his beer. If he wanted to talk while in the company of Penny, Bernadette or Amy, he'd need it.

Raj was naturally curious about Tristan though. When he had officially met Tristan for the first time- about ten minutes ago, when Tristan and Penny showed up with the food, he started making comparisons from Leonard to Tristan. Raj figured if he studied Penny's likes and dislikes in men, he might have a chance with Penny.

"Oh, what shop does your dad own?" Bernadette asked Tristan.

Again, Raj continued listening, although his mind was currently formulating a list.

Leonard- glasses, short, lactose intolerant, smart, curly brunette hair, and a soft spot in his heart for fantasy and science fiction.

Tristan? Apparently- 20/20 vision, but he might be wearing contacts. Tall- at least six feet, and no visible or known health defects. Though he did just mention that he works at an automotive shop- he probably comes into contact with a plethora of bacteria and toxins.

"So you study atoms, protons, neutrons, and all that kind of stuff?" Tristan asked Sheldon, in relation to his career.

'Smart too, I guess.' Raj thought.

He wanted to continue searching for Penny's likes and dislikes in men, but he realized that he'd need another piece of data- another one of Penny's ex-boyfriend.

'Where do I find one of those?' he thought.

Sheldon just mentioned Raj and Rajesh's job.

'I should probably smile.'

* * *

From the moment Amy sat down, she wanted to leap across the room and kiss Tristan. She found him very attractive and her anatomy feels like they've never felt before.

She didn't care that her 'boyfriend', Sheldon was sitting just 4 feet, three inches to her left. Amy wanted Tristan, like a lion wants the flesh of gazelles.

Tristan started talking to Bernadette.

Amy remembered her previous experience with a man that Penny had sexually engaged beforehand. Zach- she remembered that from the moment he had opened his mouth, her sexual lust for him had severely diminished.

But Tristan was different. His voice had a calm, melodic tone to it. Amy believed that she could listen to him speak all day.

Something about Tristan- she found him so compelling. She figured that if he wasn't dating her bestie- Penny, then she'd take a run at him.

* * *

From the moment Tristan and Penny came into the apartment, Leonard was analyzing the new paradigm in which was his relationship with Penny, and he figured, indirectly- Tristan.

Previously, Leonard loved Penny. 'Did she love me?' he asked himself.

Regardless, Penny had expressed the intention of remaining friends, while sub-consciously breaking off their physical-sexual relationship.

Sure Leonard resented the entire situation, but he could never stop being friends with Penny. They had been neighbors for close to 4 years , and in time- close friends. They had played Halo together, they had helped Sheldon, they've laughed at Sheldon, but most of all- they had dated.

'Can I let it go?' Leonard thought, as he ate, and barely listened to the ongoing conversation between Bernadette and Tristan, 'Maybe.'

'Damn.' Leonard thought, as he overheard what Tristan does. 'Works on cars, and races off-road machinery- I can't compete with that.'

With a sense of finality, Leonard summarized his end result: His relationship with Penny was over, but he would remain friends with her. He didn't however, have to be friends, or even be kind to Penny's new boyfriend.

* * *

As they ate, Penny looked around the room.

Sheldon looked nervous. Maybe it was because she had forgotten his special Korean soy sauce.

Bernadette looked—sad. Although Penny and Howard were never really close, (with no fault to Howard, as he had made several comments over the years) Penny understood what Bernadette was going through, as a little part of Penny missed the womanizing Wolowitz.

Penny caught Raj staring at her, who had quickly looked away and drank his beer. Although Penny felt compassion for the man who needed to be drunk to talk to women, she didn't always feel bad for the man. Once time, she was sure Raj had pissed himself when Penny tried to force Raj to talk to her.

Leonard looked like he was deep in thought. Yet another reason why she was secretly glad her relationship with him was over: he overthought everything. He never did anything remotely exciting, and everything he did do was meticulously planned out, as though Sheldon himself had planned it. Leonard's face was clearly showing that his brain was on overdrive- most likely overthinking the finest of details.

And finally- Amy. 'Why is Amy staring at Tristan?'

Then Penny remembered. Amy had been scrolling through her cellphone for a picture of Tristan, and had come up empty. Amy was most likely making a visual memory of Tristan for later.

The thought of which made Penny shudder.

Finally, Sheldon spoke up.

"Who is making that infernal noise?"

* * *

**A/N: My best BBT chapter to date? I think. Let me know what you think- read & review! Also, I'm throwing this fiction on the backburner for a while, while I work on my original novel that I desperately want published.**


	4. IV

**A/N: Alright, so I've realized I have a bit of difficulty writing something that isn't fantasy or tactical based. That being said, I'm hoping to have this fiction done in three or less chapters. (including this one) Since I was kinda winging this entire plot, I really have to think of how to end this fiction.**

* * *

"Leonard." Sheldon said from over at his desk.

After everybody had left, both Sheldon and Leonard had showered, and both had to finish up some work on their laptops.

Sheldon was happy. He was always happiest when his thoughts were focused on solving quantum string theory. When Sheldon had looked over to Leonard however, he noted that something was amiss with the man. However much Sheldon didn't care, he figured he was obliged to ask Leonard what was wrong.

"Leonard." Sheldon continued.

"What, Sheldon?" Leonard asked, as he turned to face his room-mate.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Sheldon." Leonard stated, as he turned to face his computer, but then turned back to Sheldon, "Am I right to feel like Penny and Tristan eating in my apartment, has violated me?"

"Oh boy," Sheldon muttered, as he focused on Leonard, "What do you want me to say?"

"I want to tell me your opinion."

"No."

Leonard made a quizzical face towards Sheldon, "You're telling me you haven't formulated an opinion of Tristan?"

"Based on my observations and the few words exchanged, I can extrapolate that he is an automotive technician- did you know that people in the automotive industry typically have-"

"Sheldon!"

Sheldon blinked rapidly then returned to his train of thought: "and he appears to have a community college education."

"That's it?" Leonard asked, "No judgmental opinion on how he's just another dumb jock that Penny has hooked up with?"

"Actually, Tristan might be good for Penny." Sheldon theorized, "You see, he appears to have a slight grasp on the practicality of the things that matter to the world- physics. With his dumbed down theories he might be able to teach Penny a few things."

Leonard sighed.

It would appear that even Sheldon of all people had a positive opinion on Tristan.

* * *

After the dinner with everybody, Penny and Tristan returned to Penny's apartment.

They sat together, embraced on the couch.

"So, what did you think about everyone?" Penny asked, "I'm sure you have some theories."

"Well," Tristan started, "I don't think Leonard likes me. He never talked directly to me, and anytime he looked at me, he looked pissed."

Penny thought about that. She figured that as long as Penny was dating Tristan, Leonard would probably not converse or even express basic feelings of friendship towards Penny.

"Raj seems pretty cool though." Tristan stated, "the only time he talked was before Amy showed up, while Bernadette was in the bathroom and you were in the kitchen."

"Yeah, he can't talk to women." Penny explained.

Tristan gave a questionable face to Penny, "Yeah, that's completely rational."

"What about Sheldon?" Penny asked, "He's pretty weird, huh?"

"He doesn't seem too bad." Tristan said, as Penny laid down and put her head on Tristan's lap. "Penny, I should tell you something."

"What?" Penny asked, as she brought up her hand to stop Tristan from brushing her hair with his fingers.

"That night at the bar…I had just come from my lawyer's office. My divorce was made official that day."

"Ok…" Penny replied, as her brain was working in overdrive thinking of where this was going.

"I like you Penny, and I don't want to screw things up."

"Phew." Penny exasperated, "I thought you were going to break up with me."

"No- I love you Penny."

* * *

**A/N: Never fear! The last chapter is near!**


	5. V

**A/N: Alright, so this is the final chapter of this fiction. Read my author's note at the end of this chapter to find more details.**

* * *

Tristan stayed the night with Penny. And although Penny was soundly snoring beside him, he couldn't get much sleep.

He tossed and turned, as his mind raced with the thoughts of his failed marriage, and his conception of what he believed what it was to be in love: he didn't know what to think anymore- were his beliefs wrong? Or maybe they aren't?

He silently hoped that his concept of love was true, because he knew some things for certain.

He hadn't even known Penny for a week, and he felt that he already had a connection with her that went deeper than his failed marriage of four years.

He glared at the time on the clock. 0403. 4am. He needed someone to talk to- someone who might understand his romanticism. His buddy Justin? Nope- he's pretty dumb. Adam? No.

He needed to talk to someone who had been in a relationship and tried to make it work.

Leonard? 'But the guy hates me for stealing his girlfriend.' Tristan figured- 'Worth a shot though.'

Tristan started to get up, and as the mattress shifted, Penny sprung awake.

"Where you goin'?" Penny asked groggily.

"Going to the bathroom. Be right back babe."

As soon as Penny's head hit the pillow, she immediately fell back to sleep. Tristan didn't waste any time silently creeping out of the apartment to get the advice of Penny's former lover.

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

"Leonard-" came Sheldon's voice through the wall, "You getting the door? Need I remind you of our Room-Mate Agreement?"

With a grumpy mood, Leonard lifted his body from the bed and answered the door. Standing on threshold, he found Tristan. Leonard knew immediately he wasn't dreaming, as his senses instinctively sharpened, as his same fears that he once had against his high school bullies came to forefront of his temporal lobe.

"Leonard." Tristan calmly said, "I know I'm the last guy you want to see, but can we talk?"

"Does Penny know you're here?" Leonard asked, fearing that Penny put Tristan up to this.

"No."

"What do you want?" Leonard asked.

"Can I come in?"

"No." Leonard stated with firmly, "What do you want?"

"Look Leonard- I was married. I got divorced last week. See, I have this grand notion that love conquers all- no matter what. I believe that the longer I know someone that I'm supposed to love her more. I think that over time, love matures with you and overtime, you become inseparable from your partner. Am I fool for believing this?"

"Why are you asking me?" Leonard asked.

"Because, for one- you're smart. Smarter than me."

"Why-" Leonard started.

"And because, I can tell, that you cared and loved Penny."

"We all have our own theories of romanticism." Leonard explained, "For some people, it may be a basic physical attraction, for others deeper- the emotions and feelings a person has for the other."

"Which was it for you?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know." Leonard admitted, "I know that I was physically attracted to her, but inside I knew that she couldn't match me on an intellectual scale, and I don't know if I could throw that away to be with a woman like Penny."

"I understand what you mean," Tristan commented, "Me and Megan- my mom set us up in tenth grade, and everybody had high hopes for us. We didn't want to let them down. I don't think we ever connected. I think we just lusted for each over to appease everyone. I guess that as I grew up, I started comparing the love I had to others, and formulated my own belief of love is supposed to be. Am I wrong?"

"The theories of romantics." Leonard said, as he grew in understanding of Tristan. Leonard finally understood that the two of them were more alike than he thought: they both had the perceived notion of what love is supposed to be, "Your beliefs- do they equate to your feelings for Penny?"

"Yeah." Tristan said with a nod.

"If your love for Penny will not yield, grow and never fade, then you deserve to be with her." Leonard replied.

"Theories of romantics." Tristan parroted back.

* * *

**A/N: Now I had a few friends pre-read this for me, and this is what I got from them. Three out of three of them didn't like the ending. When I asked them why, they just stated, that it seems like I'm taking the easy way out. I beg to differ- sure the chapters were short, but they all have some sort of socio-psychology to them, which, to be honest, is hard to write. One of the three was completely confused. They said and I quote, "What the hell does it mean?"**

**Well, I thought about it, and I decided to write a quick explanation.**

**Everybody, no matter who- whether you are straight, gay, male, female- Caucasian, black, or Asian- we all have what we believe love is. This is our theory of romantics. No matter what relationship we go through, we hold our partner to our ideals of our theory. If the person we are with holds up to, or stays to these beliefs we have, our rational brain tells us that we are infatuated with said person.**

**In some cases, however our partner doesn't fit our theory- in these cases either or base desire love is strong enough that we change our theory to fit, or we end up living in a romanticized misery.**

**Ok, so maybe that just confused you more. I can't explain it better, even with a behavioral psychology certificate. **


End file.
